First Contact
by wormunderfoot
Summary: CoT - Rand enters Tel'aran'rhiod, comes across Elayne's dreams, and tells her about the cleansing.


**First Contact**

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Summary:

This story takes place during the later parts of Book 10, Crossroads of Twilight. Rand has learned a bit about Tel'aran'rhiod from Lews Therin than we've seen in the books, and takes it upon himself to find Elayne's dreams and convey to her the news from Shadar Logoth.

Rating: M (mature)

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Robert Jordan. No money is being made or copyright intentionally infringement upon by the author of this fic.

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"Remember Min, your thoughts determine your reality in Tel'aran'rhiod. Be careful, and if you ever feel that you are in danger, close your eyes and concentrate on our bedroom back at Algarin's manor. I'll look for you there if we become separated."

Min sniffed. "You wouldn't have to keep repeating yourself if you'd just open the gateway and let us in."

Rand sighed and turned towards the center of the room. This was madness, he longed to see Elayne and Aviendha again, but taking Min with him through the world of dreams was asking for trouble. He would have gone alone, but Min always seemed to know when he was up to something and had refused to fall asleep before him.

He steeled himself against the expected nausea and snatched at _saidin_. Life and light suffused him, but couldn't keep his back straight and leaned against a bedpost to stay upright. The taint was gone, but the sickness remained. Was it the same for every man who could channel? He had carefully watched other asha'man seize _saidin_ and none of them exhibited the symptoms Rand had grown accustomed to. It must be Lews Therin, the man had been restless of late and there were many times that he had nearly taken control of source away from Rand.

It was only a moment before Rand was upright again and had cleared his face, but Min had stepped toward him with concern-filled eyes. She raised a hand toward his cheek and opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm well, and you are right, we'd best be going." Min snapped her mouth shut and retracted her hand. She glowered at him and muttered, "stubborn mule," under her breath. He grinned and wove the gateway to the world of dreams.

The gateway snapped open, a door-sized patch of haze hung in the air in the center of the room.

"Follow me in, Min." He stepped through into a previously deserted replica of his own bedroom. Min followed closely on his heels, and Rand thankfully closed the gateway and released _saidin_.

He stepped towards Min and gently took her arm. She started at his touch and ceased her curious study of the room. "If I didn't see you disappear through that gateway, I would think we were still in your bedroom, Rand."

Rand nodded. "But we're not. Perhaps another night we can come again, and I will teach you something of this place." Her clothing flickered from her usual embroidered coat and breeches to a green silk gown. The neckline was so low that she appeared in danger of falling out of the dress, and she was utterly unaware of the change. He almost smiled. "Remember what I told you to think about."

At this reminder she looked down at herself and blanched. She skewed her eyes shut and her face took on an expression of fierce concentration. Her clothing changed back instantaneously, but it was a few seconds before she opened her eyes again and examined herself. Blushing, she coughed, "well let's get on with this. We don't have all night."

Rand took her hand without comment and in a flash took them into the star-filled void that housed the world's dreams. Both of them were formless, but Rand could feel Min's presence by his side like a pair of eyes focused on the back of his neck.

They had only begun to move as dreamers do, floating, before they came upon her. There was no sense of speed, nor any movement, but the stars began to zoom past them in streaks. Suddenly a bright star in the distance arced towards them. Another followed in its wake. There was no chance to avoid them, and they shot quick and true towards him. The bright light of the leading dream blinded him in the moment before it consumed him.

Rand blinked. He was sitting on a large feather mattress with his back against the headboard, and staring into the loving blue eyes of the Daughter Heir. She leaned towards him and planted her lips upon his own in a slow, sensuous kiss.

"Mmmm. Don't you ever leave me again." Elayne whispered against his lips.

He felt himself wrapping his arms tightly around her and speaking words he did not intend. "Never, I'll never leave you." Rand kissed here again, this time with more passion.

A woman coughed behind Elayne and she groaned in disappointment as she withdrew from the kiss and turned to face the intruder. "Min! What are you doing here?"

Min grinned at Elayne's astonishment. "Well, Rand and I have some news that we wanted to tell you personally. We missed you, and Rand decided the safest way to talk to you would be in your dreams."

Elayne's eyes widened and she turned to look at Rand. "Are you… this is a dream, I'm dreaming…" She twisted momentarily to shoot Min a skeptical glance. "Are you really, Rand?"

Finally he could move of his own volition. Rand craned his neck and shook himself, "yes I am me. I'm not a dream." He glanced down at her bare-chest and coughed. "You were probably wondering what happened five days ago."

Elayne flushed slightly and was soon covered in a modest nightgown. Her embarrassment was only momentary though, as her eyes narrowed into an accusing glare. "You frightened us to death. I could hardly think straight the entire day. Yes, I want to know what happened."

Rand smiled over Elayne's shoulder at Min as he leaned over and kissed Elayne firmly on the cheek and stage whispered, "Nynaeve and I cleansed _Saidin_. The taint is gone, there won't be any more men falling prey to its madness." He finished with a tight hug.

Elayne went rigid with shock in his arms. She pressed her face into Rand's chest and drew a deep shuddering breath. She slowly raised her head to stare Rand in the face with red-rimmed eyes. "Please… Please tell me it's true. Tell me you're not joking."

Rand tenderly wiped a tear from her cheek and spoke with quiet certainty. "It is gone, I would not lie to you, Elayne; certainly not about this. In this there is no joke, and I am very relieved to tell you that I won't go mad on you."

Elayne let out sobbing breath and hugged Rand tightly to her as she cried. Rand ran a soothing hand up and down Elayne's back and motioned for Min to join them. Min shot him a cheeky grin before stepping over and sitting down on the edge of the bed.

The movement of the bed caused Elayne to turn her head. "Oh, I'm sorry, Min. This is just… You can't blame me… I'm sorry for forgetting you."

Min grinned at her. "I probably would have done the same in your place." She reached over and took Elayne's hand in hers. "You wouldn't believe the things we have been up to." Min finished with a conspiratorial wink at Rand.

Elayne regarded Min thoughtfully for a moment before gripping Rand's face in her hands. "Elayne?" Rand queried.

She examined his face carefully then asked Min. "Has he been getting enough rest? He looked very tired."

Min frowned, "He has been doing too much, but he's resting now." Rand opened his mouth but was silenced by Min's glare. "You are resting, Rand, if I have to tie you to the bed to keep you there!"

He couldn't help but smile at that. "So long as you are tied there with me, Min. I will need something to occupy my time."

Elayne pinched his left side. "I wish you could spend more time with Aviendha and I. We miss you, despite all of the problems you have dumped in my lap. You wouldn't believe the troubles you've caused with your talk of giving the throne to me. That kind of talk may have worked well enough in Cairhien, but Andorans won't put up with a foreign appointed figurehead."

From there the talk descended into a discussion of Elayne's plans for gaining the throne. She laid out her situation in simple terms and explained her plan to gain the crown. Rand was quiet and listened attentively though at times his thoughts wandered from what she was saying. Elayne simply was too beautiful for words, just like Min, but it had been several weeks since he had last seen her. She was radiant.

Min caught him staring and poked him in the ribs. "Can't keep your eyes off of her, can you sheepherder?"

Rand gave her a rueful smirk and leaned forward to pull her to his side. Elayne watched quietly as Rand gave Min a passionate kiss before her. She sighed, and when the kiss ended, she turned around and scooted back to nuzzle him from the other side.

They lay in silence for a time. Eventually, Rand spoke. "There are so many things left that we could talk about, but Min and I have to get some rest tonight. I'm afraid we will have to leave you soon, Elayne."

She looked bitterly disappointed. "I want you to stay." She tightened her arms around him.

Rand sighed, "I know."

Min spoke up from across Rand's body, "I'll take care of him, Elayne." Min tenderly began rubbing Rand's belly.

"Will you be able to come another night?" Elayne looked up at Rand with pleading eyes.

"I do not see why not."

Elayne smiled at that. "Don't be a stranger. Aviendha misses you as well and sends her love."

Rand responded with a chaste kiss on her lips before sliding out of her arms and climbing out of the bed. "Sleep well, Elayne. We will be back another night."

Rand watched suspiciously as Elayne shot an undecipherable look at Min, who acknowledged it with a nod. "We'll see you again soon, Elayne." Min got out of the bed and joined Rand, her arm snaking around his waist.

"I love you, both of you." Elayne said.

With that, Rand and Min left the dream.

Elayne woke to the cool night air in her bedchamber in Caemlyn. Aviendha was sound asleep at her side. Elayne smiled down at her before digging into her pillows and wrapping the sheets snuggly around herself. Sleep returned with a swiftness, and she lay there dreaming with a happy smile on her face.

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Author's Notes:

This will likely only be a one-shot. However if there is an appropriate response, I may write additional encounters between Rand & Elayne as well as possibly Rand and Aviendha. I purposefully left a number of topics go unmentioned here, such as Elayne's pregnancy, the situation with Mat, possible revelations about Rand's mother, and others that I could include in future chapters.

I'm generally write Harry Potter fan fiction. I've been waiting for my betas to get back to me with my latest complete chapter (9) of my more epic tale, Harry Potter and the Return to Youth. I have good news though, my main beta was gone for a week to visit family and has returned tonight with her edits nearly complete. Chapter 10 is almost ready to run the edit as well; as a result I expect at least two updates to that story during this month of April.


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